11 soldiers, 24 militants killed in Mohmand

Security forces continue operations against militants in northwest regions of the country. PHOTO: EPA

Security forces on Friday killed 24 militants ?as they attempted to attack?checkposts in Mohmand Agency, officials have said. Eleven soldiers were killed in the clashes, officials said.

“About 150 Taliban militants attacked five Frontier Corps checkposts in Baidnami village near the border with Afghanistan,” a senior security official told AFP. “The attack was repulsed leaving 24 militants dead, and three of our men embraced martyrdom,”

Local administration officials in Ghalanai, the main town of Mohmand tribal district, and the paramilitary force confirmed the attack and casualties.

“Militants ran away, leaving behind dead bodies. Twelve soldiers were wounded in the fighting,” the official said.

Bodies of 10 militants have also been taken into custody, while gunship helicopters are?hovering in the area.

In a telephone call to AFP Taliban spokesman for Mohmand district Sajjad Mohmand claimed his fighters had killed 12 soldiers and captured a check post.

“We have killed 12 soldiers and occupied a check post,” Mohmand said.

He also said two paramilitary soldiers had been captured but security officials rejected the claim, saying no one was missing.

Mohmand district has seen much violence in the recent past. ?On December 6, twin suicide bombings killed 43 people in Ghalanai, about 175 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of Islamabad.

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Explosion in Mohmand kills 40

A blast in Mohmand Agency has killed 40 people.

MOHMAND AGENCY:?Forty?people were killed and 100 others were injured in two suicide blasts that took place at a political agents office in Mohmand Agency.

According to Express 24/7 correspondent Iftikhar Firdous the attack targeted the jirga taking place at the political agents office. Express News?correspondent?Abdul Wahab was also killed in the attack.

“The blasts destroyed many rooms in the compound and our reports are 40 people were killed and many wounded,” a senior security official in the region said.

Amjad Ali Khan, the top government official in the Mohmand region who appeared to be the target of the attack, earlier told Reuters by telephone that it appeared to be a suicide attack.

“There were two bombers. They were on foot. The first blew himself up inside the office of one of my deputies while the second one set off explosives when guards caught him,” he said.

Security forces have?cordoned?off the area and search operations have begun, while curfew has also been imposed in the region.

According to Express 24/7 correspondent Umar Farooq, there were 300 people present at the gathering.

Iftikhar Firdous reports that the region where the attacks took place is at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border which is widely used by militants to cross over.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain addressing the media said that these incidents will continue until force in both countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, completely eliminate the terrorists.

He said that the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan need to share information in order to tackle this problem.

The minister said that these terrorists target mosques, jirgas, women and children and that they are not part of any religion or ethnicity.

Earlier in the year, in July, a similar attack on a political agent’s office had resulted in 55 people losing their live.

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